Image forming apparatus, client device, client device control method

Abstract

A method for controlling an image forming system in which a client device creates print data using a print restriction and causes an image forming apparatus to print the print data, has an inquiring step of issuing an inquiry from the client device to the image forming apparatus in response to a print instruction from a user as to whether the print restriction is updated, and a print data output step in which, when the print restriction is not updated, the client device creates print data using the print restriction stored in the client device and outputs the print data, and, when the print restriction is updated, the client device updates the print restriction stored in the client device to that obtained from the image forming apparatus, creates the print data using the updated print restriction, and outputs the print data to the image forming apparatus.

Description

[0001] priority information [0002] This application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2005-333938 filed on November 18, 2005, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. field of invention [0003] The present invention relates to an image forming system in which print restrictions specified for each user in an image forming apparatus are reflected in settings of a client device. technical background [0004] Conventionally, a printer shared by multiple users, a multifunction machine, etc. are used together with a print management server, etc. to realize measurement and management of monochrome (black and white) and color print records, usage track records organized by users or departments. record) and so on. Such printers or multifunction machines often also include a restriction function for specifying an output limit for each user employing the above-mentioned measurement and management functions, thereby prohibiting the printer or mul...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

[0008] The problem with all of the above configurations is that in addition to printers and client devices you must also provide a management server, etc.

Furthermore, whenever printing is invoked, inquiries including actual data to be printed and print jobs are fed from the client device to the network to reach the management server, which causes another problem of imposing a heavy load on the network

[0009] For example, in an imaging system used in classrooms used for lectures, etc., if multiple users share one client PC, or if one client uses multiple printers and other devices, the product of the number of users and the number of printers increases the print limited quantity

Then, since task processing requests may be concentrated in one place at the same time, the problem of network load will increase

In addition, due to the increased complexity of system management, it is difficult to reduce the number of process steps required to manage the system

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